Improvement in grain-separators



A. SYLVESTER.

l Grain Separator.

Patented April 21, 1863.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABNER SYLVESTER, OF DUBUQUE, IOWA.

y IMPROVEMENT IN GRAIN-SEPARATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,25 l, dated April 21, 1863.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ABNER SYLvEsTER, of the city and county of Dubuque, and State of lowa, have invented a certain new and useful Machine for Cleaning Grain; and I hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and references thereon, making a part of the specication, in which- Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the separator. Fig. 2 shows a top view. Fig. 3 shows au end view showing the driving-power. Fig. 4 shows an end view opposite that having the drivingpower. Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal section through the middle of machine in line y y of Fig. 3.

The same letters and figures refer to the saine parts throughout the drawings.

Let A A represent the upright framepieoes; B3 B3, the horizontal end pieces; B B2, horizontal frame-pieces below.

B B represent the lower pair of riddles; .A A, the upper pair of riddles; G, the chaff and oat receptacles; C', the adjustable hopper; D D D2 D3, pulleys, of which D2 is the driving pulley; E, the fan; E E2, the fan-blast tube.

c is a discharge for light and shriveled grain not light enough to be carried out at c2. e3 is the Wheat-discharge pipe where it falls into the fan-blast. cL is the final discharge `for the wheat. c5 isV the discharge-spout for small seeds, as grass and weed seed, which are received into the small end trough and carried out by a chute to one side.

a or are the connecting-pieces of the upper pair of riddles. b b are connecting-pieces for binding the lower pair of riddles. b b are springs on which the lower pair is suspended at one end. b2 b2 are springs on which are suspended the upper pair of riddles at the same end of the machine. b3 b3 are springs on which rest the lower pair of riddles at the opposite end of the machine, while the upper pair of riddles are resting on springs like those of b2 b2. Thus each pair of riddles is suspended on springs independent of the other pair.

ol is the shaft of the driving-pulley and of pulley D. d is the shaft of pulley D, on which the eccentrics a: are fastened, one of which is seen in Fig. 5.

g g are the outer and inner eccentric bearings, against which the eccentrics play. That shown in Fig. 5 moves the lower pair of riddles, while its fellow (not shown in the drawings) moves the upper pair of riddles.

F is an opening through the casing, communicating with the chute f and inclined riddlef. f" forms the floor of riddle-chamber, along which the ne seeds slide down to the discharge-box ci. his the support for the hopper at the ends thereof. h isthe nut for holding the end of the hopper in position. G is the belt which carries the fan and operates the eccentrics.

The nature of the invention respects, in the rst place, the form and construction of the riddles 5 secondly, the arrangement of the riddles in two pairs or in pairs; thirdly, the construction and arrangement of the receptacles for oats, chaif, and heads of grain.v

The four riddlesAAB B have an oval form, but the top of each one is flattened, so as to retain the grain temporarily, that the most of the wheat may be carried through the central portions of the riddle, while the oats and ch ai, with the heads of grain, may ride smoothly over the surface to the outer edge of the riddle. Again, the upper surface of the riddles heilig oval in the general, this forni of the upper surface has the advantage over a plane or straight line of surface in prevent-in g the lod gment of chaff and grain-heads, as frequently voccurs on the lower edge of the riddles when plane surfaces are used. The ova-l form gives an increased inclination at every step of progress from the middle to the outer edge of the same` This form gives a corresponding accelerated motion of the grain and refuse as the materials advance toward the receptacles O.

The arrangement of these riddles as a single shoe, as originally contemplated, Was found ranged that while one pair moves to the right the other moves to the left. This arrangement throws but half the quantity of matter on each eccentric, and gives an easy movement to the machine. The arrangement of the receptacles C C on the sides of the machine also constitutes an important feature in my machine, the de# sign being to collect all the waste products that escape over the borders of the riddles in.

the funnel portion, and discharge the same into a suitable box. y

I am aware thatriddles have been made with sides sloping downward from the center in other forms, and do not claim riddles so coustructed in the general, but

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The oval form of the riddles flattened on 

